Insecticidal and acaricidal composition

ABSTRACT

An insecticidal and acaricidal composition comprising, as active ingredients, 
     (a) α-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl 2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropanecarboxylate and 
     (b) ethyl (Z)--H-benzyl-N-[{methyl(1-methylthioethylideneamino-oxycarbonyl)amino}thio]-β-alaninate, and a method of controlling insects and acarines by applying said composition to sites where insects and acarines inhabit.

This application is a 371 of PCT/JP93/01454, filed Oct. 8, 1993.

The present invention is intended to provide an insecticidal and acaricidal composition having excellent insecticidal and acaricidal activities.

The present inventors made study in order to develop an excellent insecticidal and acaricidal agent and, as a result, found that the composition shown below exhibits striking insecticidal and acaricidal effects by the synergistic actions of the active ingredients contained therein. The finding has led to the completion of the present invention. The present invention provides an insecticidal and acaricidal composition comprising, as active ingredients,

α-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl 2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropanecarboxylate (hereinafter referred to as "compound 1") and

ethyl (Z)--N-benzyl-N-[{methyl(1-methylthioethylideneamino-oxycarbonyl)amino}thio]-β-alaninate (commonly called "alanycarb" and hereinafter referred to as "compound 2").

There are shown below the structural formulas of the compound 1 and the compound 2, which are both the active ingredients of the insecticidal and acaricidal composition according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present invention composition).

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         Compound                                                                               Chemical structure                                                     ______________________________________                                         Compound 1                                                                              ##STR1##                                                              Compound 2                                                                              ##STR2##                                                              ______________________________________                                    

The compound 1 includes stereoisomers. The compound 1 used in the present invention includes any isomers having insecticidal activities and mixtures thereof.

The compound 1 includes, for example, the following compounds.

(RS)-α-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl 2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropanecarboxylate (commonly called fenpropathrin, hereinafter referred to as "compound 1-a") (S)-α-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl 2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropanecarboxylate

The compound 2 can be produced by the process described in U.S. Pat. No. 4444786.

The injurious insects and acarines which can be controlled or exterminated by the present invention composition, include, for example, the followings.

THYSANOPTERA

Scirtothrips dorsalis (yellow tea thrips), Frankliniella intonsa (flower thrips) and the like.

HEMIPTERA

Aphids such as Myzus persicae (green peach aphid), Myzus varians, Myzus mumecola, Schizaphis piricola, Aphis citricola (spiraea aphid), Aphis qossypii (cotton aphid) and the like.

Mealybugs such as Planococcus kraunhiae (Japanese mealybug), Pseudococcus comstocki (Comstock mealybug) and the like.

Scales such as Unaspis yanonensis (arrowhead scale) and the like.

Whiteflies such as Trialeurodes aporariorum (greenhouse whitefly), Bemisia tabaci (sweetpotato whitefly) and the like.

Lace bugs such as Stephanitis nashi (pear lace bug), Sephanitis pyrioides (azalea lace bug) and the like.

Leafhoppers such as Nephotettix cincticeps (green rice leafhopper), Arboridia apicalis (grape leafhopper) and the like.

Planthoppers such as Nilaparvata lugens (brown rice planthopper), Sogatella furcifera (whitebacked rice planthopper), Laodelphax striatellus (small brown planthopper) and the like.

LEPIDOPTERA

Fruit moths such as Grapholita molesta (oriental fruit moth), Carposina niponensis (peach fruit moth) and the like.

Leafroller moths such as Adoxophyes sp. (smaller tea tortrix), Adoxophyes orana fasciata (summer fruit tortrix), Archips fuscocupreanus (apple tortrix) and the like.

Conoqethes punctiferalis (peach moth), Spodoptera litura (common cutworm), Spodoptera exigua (beet armyworm), Ostrinia furnacalis (oriental corn borer), Pseudaletia separata (rice armyworm), Helicoverpa assulta (oriental tobacco budworm), Leguminivora glycinivorella (soybean pod borer), Phyllonorycter ringoniella (apple leafminer), Lyonetia prunifoliella malinella, Lyonetia clerkella (peach leafminer), Phyllocnistis citrella (citrus leafminer), Mamestra brassicae (cabbage armworm), Autorpha nigrisigna (beet semi-looper), Hyphantria cunea (fall webworm), Pieris rapae crucivora (common cabbage worm) and the like.

COLEOPTERA

Epilachna vigntioctopunctata (twenty-eight-spotted ladybird), Anomala cupre (cupreous chafer), Anoplophora malasiaca (white spotted longicorn beetle), Xylotrechus pyrrhoderus (grape borer) and the like.

DIPTERA

Delia platura (seedcorn maggot), Liriomyza chinensis (stone leek leafminer) and the like.

TYLENCHIDA

Nematodes such as Meloidogyne incognita (southern root-knot nematode), Meloidogyne hapla (northern root-knot nematode), Pratylenchus penetrans (Cobb root-lesion nematode) and the like.

ACARINA

Spider mites such as Tetranychus urticae (two-spotted spider mite), Tetranychus cinnabarinus (carmine spider mite), Tetranychus kanzawai (Kanzawa spider mite), Panonychus ulmi (European red mite), Panonychus citri (citrus red mite) and the like.

The method for formulating the present invention composition and the method for applying the composition are hereinafter described specifically.

In formulating the present invention composition, there are mixed, by an ordinary method, the active ingredients according to the present invention, appropriate carriers and auxiliary substances such as surfactant, binder, stabilizer and the like to obtain a wettable powder, an emulsifiable concentrate, a flowable, a dust, a DL dust, etc. In this case, the mixing ratio of the compound 1 and the compound 2 is ordinarily 1:1 to 1:50 by weight, preferably 1:2 to 1:10 by weight, and the total content of the active ingredients in the composition is ordinarily 1-80% by weight.

The carriers usable in the present invention composition can be any solid or liquid carrier commonly used in agricultural or horticultural chemicals, and is not restricted to any particular carrier.

The solid carrier includes, for example, mineral powders, plant powders, alumina, silicates, polysaccharides and waxes.

The liquid carrier includes, for example, water, alcohols, aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, ethers, ketones, esters, nitriles, alcohol ethers, aliphatic or alicyclic hydrocarbons, industrial gasoline and petroleum fractions.

In producing a wettable powder, an emulsifiable concentrate, a flowable or the like, a surfactant, an emulsifier and the like are further used for the purposes of emulsification, dispersion, solubilization, wetting, foaming, spreading, etc. There may be further added, as necessary, stabilizers such as antioxidant, ultraviolet absorber and the like in appropriate amounts.

The present invention composition may be used in admixture with other acaricide, insecticide, attractant, repellent, fungicide, plant growth regulator, fertilizer, etc. Such mixed use enables expanded applications in, for example, target diseases and insects, application methods and application timings.

The present invention composition is used as follows. The dosage applied differs depending upon the size of each fruit tree or each vegetable to be treated, but is ordinarily 10-200 grams per 10 ares in terms of the total amount of active ingredients. In spraying the present invention composition, when the composition is a wettable powder or an emulsifiable concentrate, it is diluted with water and the diluted liquid is applied to fruit trees or vegetables ordinarily in an amount of 50-500 liters per 10 ares at a timing when pest insects occur.

The present invention is hereinafter described by way of Formulation Examples and Application Examples. However, the present invention is in no way restricted to these Examples alone. In the Examples, parts refer to parts by weight in all cases.

FORMULATION EXAMPLE 1

5 parts of the compound 1-a, 30 parts of the compound 2, 5 parts of sodium lauryl sulfate, 2 parts of a sodium nephthalenesulfonate-formalin condensate, 20 parts of white carbon and 33 parts of clay were ground and mixed uniformly to obtain a wettable powder.

FORMULATION EXAMPLE 2

5 parts of the compound 1-a, 30 parts of the compound 2, 15 parts of Sorpol 2564 (a mixed emulsifier consisting of nonionic and anionic surfactants, manufactured by Toho Kagaku) and 65 parts of xylol were mixed to obtain an emulsifiable concentrate.

The compound 1-a and the compound 2 are mixed at a weight ratio of 1:1, 1:2, 1:10 or 1:50 in the same manner as in Formulation Example 1 or 2, whereby various wettable powders or emulsifiable concentrates can be obtained.

APPLICATION EXAMPLE 1

A spray solution prepared by diluting of the wettable powder prepared in Formulation Example 1 to a given dilution ratio was sprayed onto young fruits of apple (variety: Fuji) in an amount of 50 milliliters per 3 fruits, using a spray gun equipped with a compressor. The young apple fruits were then air-dried, placed in same plastic cups (3 fruits per cup), and stored. One day thereafter, 10 adults of Carposina niponensis (peach fruit moth) were released into each cup and, 24 hours thereafter, the numbers of the alive and dead insects were examined to calculate an insect mortality (%). In this test, three fruits were used for each treatment in three replications.

The results are shown in Table 2.

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                         Active        Concentration(s)                                                                            Insect                                              ingredient(s) (ppm)        mortality (%)                                       ______________________________________                                         Compound 2 +  300 + 50     100                                                 compound 1-a  150 + 25     100                                                                 75 + 12.5  97                                                  Compound 2    300          63                                                                150          13                                                                75            0                                                  Compound 1-a  50           60                                                                25           30                                                                  12.5        7                                                  Untreated     --            0                                                  ______________________________________                                    

APPLICATION EXAMPLE 2

A spray solution prepared by diluting the wettable powder prepared in Formulation Example 1 to a given dilution ratio was sprayed onto apple (variety: Fuji) fruits in a sufficient amount using a spray gun equipped with a compressor. One apple fruit was then stored in a thermostat chamber. 11 days after the spraying, 10 1st-instar larvae of Carposina niponensis (peach fruit moth) were released into the chamber. Three days thereafter, the number of entrance holes was examined for each apple fruit and the controlling effect was calculated using the following formula.

    controlling effect (%)=[1--(total entrance holes of treated fruits)/(total entrance holes of untreated fruits)]×100

In this test, one fruit was used for each treatment in three replications. The results are shown in Table 3.

                  TABLE 3                                                          ______________________________________                                         Active         Concentration(s)                                                                            Controlling                                        ingredient(s)  (ppm)        effect (%)                                         ______________________________________                                         Compound 1-a + 50 + 300     100                                                compound 2                                                                     Compound 1-a   100          23                                                 Compound 2     400          0                                                  Untreated      --           0                                                  ______________________________________                                    

APPLICATION EXAMPLE 3

A spray solution prepared by diluting of the wettable powder prepared in Formulation Example 1 to a given dilution ratio was sprayed onto apple (variety: Fuji) fruits in a sufficient amount using a spray gun equipped with a compressor. Thus treated fruits were then stored in a thermostat chamber of 25° C. 3 days thereafter, 10 4th-instar larvae of Adoxophyes sp. (smaller tea tortrix) were released into the chamber and, 1 day thereafter, the numbers of alive and dead larvae were examined to calculate an insect mortality (%). In this test, one fruit was used for each treatment in three replications. The results are shown in Table 4.

                  TABLE 4                                                          ______________________________________                                         Active         Concentration(s)                                                                            Insect                                             ingredient(s)  (ppm)        mortality (%)                                      ______________________________________                                         Compound 1-a + 50 + 300     72.0                                               compound 2                                                                     Untreated      --           0                                                  ______________________________________                                    

APPLICATION EXAMPLE 4

A spray solution prepared by diluting the wettable powder prepared in Formulation Example 1 to a given dilution ratio was sprayed onto peach trees (10-year old) (variety: Ohkubo) in a peach garden infested by Grapholita molesta (oriental fruit moth), in an amount of 6 liters per tree using a power sprayer. Three weeks thereafter, 95 to 230 shoots per tree were arbitrarily selected to examine the number of shoots damaged and the controlling effect (%) was calculated using the following formula. In this test, one tree was used for each treatment in two replications.

    Controlling effect (%)=[1--(number of damaged shoots in treated tree)/(number of damaged shoots in untreated tree)]×100

The results are shown in Table 5.

                  TABLE 5                                                          ______________________________________                                         Active         Concentration(s)                                                                            Controlling                                        ingredient(s)  (ppm)        effect (%)                                         ______________________________________                                         Compound 1-a + 50 + 300     83.5                                               compound 2                                                                     Chlorpyrifos   250          55.1                                               (commercial agent)                                                             Untreated      --           0                                                  ______________________________________                                    

APPLICATION EXAMPLE 5

A spray solution prepared by diluting the wettable powder prepared in Formulation Example 1 to a given dilution ratio was sprayed onto peach trees (10-year old) (variety: Ohkubo) in a peach garden infested by Conogethes punctiferalis (peach moth), in an amount of 6 liters per tree using a power sprayer. 4 weeks thereafter, 18-151 fruits per tree were arbitrarily selected and the number of fruits damaged was examined. The controlling effect (%) was calculated using the following formula. In this test, one tree was used for each treatment in two replications.

    Controlling effect (%)=[1--(number of damaged fruits in treated trees)/(number of damaged fruits in untreated trees)]×100

The results are shown in Table 6.

                  TABLE 6                                                          ______________________________________                                         Active         Concentration(s)                                                                            Controlling                                        ingredient(s)  (ppm)        effect (%)                                         ______________________________________                                         Compound 1-a + 50 + 300     77.2                                               compound 2                                                                     Chlorpyrifos   250          17.8                                               (commercial agent)                                                             Untreated      --           0                                                  ______________________________________                                    

APPLICATION EXAMPLE 6

A spray solution prepared by diluting the wettable powder prepared in Formulation Example 1 to a given dilution ratio was sprayed onto pear trees (10-year old) (variety: Nijusseiki) in a pear garden infested by Schizaphis piricola, in an amount of 4 liters per tree using a power sprayer. 3 days and 10 days thereafter, 10 shoots (each having 3 leaves) per tree were arbitrarily selected to examine the number of aphids on them. In this test, one tree was used for each treatment in three replications.

The results are shown in Table 7.

                  TABLE 7                                                          ______________________________________                                                                 Number of aphids/                                      Active     Concentration(s)                                                                            100 leaves                                             ingredient(s)                                                                             (ppm)        0*      3*     10*                                     ______________________________________                                         Compound 1-a +                                                                            50 + 300     2073    1      21                                      compound 2                                                                     Carbaryl   850          2257    4      62                                      (commercial                                                                    agent)                                                                         Untreated  --           1608    2286   1499                                    ______________________________________                                          *days after treatment                                                    

APPLICATION EXAMPLE 7

Kidney bean leaves infested by Tetranychus kanzawai (Kanzawa spider mite) were cut off and dipped, for 10 seconds, in an aqueous solution prepared by diluting the wettable powder prepared in Formulation Example 1 to a given dilution ratio. After the dipping, one leaf was each placed in a cup and, 2 days after the dipping, a mite mortality was examined. In this test, one cup was used for each treatment in three replications. The results are shown in Table 8.

                  TABLE 8                                                          ______________________________________                                         Active        Concentration(s)                                                                            Mite                                                ingredient(s) (ppm)        mortality (%)                                       ______________________________________                                         Compound 1-a +                                                                               50 + 300     92.1                                                compound 2                                                                     Untreated     --           0                                                   ______________________________________                                    

APPLICATION EXAMPLE 8

A spray solution prepared by diluting the wettable powder prepared in Formulation Example 1 to a given dilution ratio was sprayed onto young seedlings of cabbage in a greenhouse, in an sufficient amount using a small sprayer for home use. The young seeldings were then air-dried. 7 days and 13 days thereafter, the leaves were cut off and one leaf was placed in a cup. 10 3rd-instar larvae of Spodoptera litura (common cutworm) were released into the cup. 2 days after the release, the mortality of the insects was examined. In this test, one cup was used for each treatment in three replications. The results are shown in Table 9.

                  TABLE 9                                                          ______________________________________                                                                  Insect                                                Active     Concentration(s)                                                                             mortality (%)                                         ingredient(s)                                                                             (ppm)         0*      7*    13*                                     ______________________________________                                         Compound 1-a +                                                                            50 + 300      100     100   97                                      compound 2                                                                     Untreated  --             0       3     3                                      ______________________________________                                          *days after treatment                                                     

We claim:
 1. An synergistic insecticidal and acaricidal composition comprising, as active ingredients,(a) α-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl 2,2,3,3-tetra-methylcyclopropanecarboxylate and (b) ethyl (Z)--N-benzyl-N-[{methyl(1-methylthioethylideneamino-oxycarbonyl)amino}thio]-β-alaninatein synergistic insecticidally, acaricidally, or both effective amount and further comprising agriculturally, horticulturally, or both acceptable carriers, wherein the weight ratio of (a) and (b) is 1:1 to 1:10.
 2. The insecticidal and acaricidal composition according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of (a) and (b) is 1:2 to 1:10.
 3. The insecticidal and acaricidal composition according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of (a) and (b) is about 1:6.
 4. The insecticidal and acaricidal composition according to claim 1, wherein the total content of the active ingredients is 1-80%.
 5. A method for controlling insects and acarines which comprises applying an effective amount of the synergistic insecticidal and acaricidal composition of claim 1 to sites where insects, acarines, or both inhabit.
 6. The method for controlling insects and acarines according to claim 5, wherein the insecticidal and acaricidal composition is applied in an amount of 10-200 g per 10 ares in terms of the total amount of the active ingredients.
 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said insects are Hemiptera or Lepodoptera and said acarines are Acarina. 